“Giving Birth by Marcus Amaker do you remember when the earth was just a baby, settling in its skin,safe in the arms of mother naturewith fire breathing from within.you were not shackled by timeand life roamed around your heartwith the weight of dinosaurs,leaving footprints in your lungs.and the first time you saw the sunyou could barely breathebecause the possibility of endless lightplanted a seedso you admire the strength of trees,who naturally grew into unwavering beauty, staring down the mouth oftime. do you remember being 11 years oldwhen your mother told you“birth is more painful than dying”and you burst with dreamswithout even trying, seeking light in your heart, where shadows now restcomfortably next to fear.but you come out of the woods clear,with nature’s breathunder your tongue, and a weightless bliss, no longer scared of death.”